Pneumatic control system.



PATENTBD SEPT. 1, 1908.

P. PPORR. PNEUMATIC CONTROL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 19, 1907..

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Witr esses Q W PHILIPP Prone, or BERLIN,

GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PNEUMATIC CONTROL SYSTEM.

Specification 01 Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 1, 1908.

-Application filed April 19', 1907. Serial No. 369,045.

I? allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP]? Prone, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Berlin, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin' PneumaticOontrol Systems, of which the following-is a 7 Specification.-

. My nvention relates to control systems for trams of motor-driven cars,or in other words, to, trains operated on the niultiple-' unit system. When main reservoirs are used 011 all or on several of the cars of the train, it

is ordinarily desirable to em loy, in addition to .the usual train-pipe for t e air-brake system, a. reservoir-pipe for equalizing the pressures in the several main reservoirs of the train. It is also frequently desirable 'to em? ploy on the several cars 'n'ieumatically-oper v ated devices controllable from asingle point on the train,for instance, the current-collecting devices on the several cars may be pneumatically operated; in which case it is desirable that they should be under the control of the motorman on the front car. With the arrangements employed heretofore, this necessitates a third pi e-line.

My invention broa y consists in employing the reservoir-pipe for actuating thepneumatically-operated devices on the cars; To secure this result, I provide a manually-controlled valve for varying the pressure in the reservoir-pipe and automatic valves for disconnecting the reservoirs from the reservoiripe when the pressure in the pipe falls beow'a predetermined limit.

My mvention will best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows diagrammatically a pneumatic control system arranged in accordance with my invention; and Fig. 2 shows a cross-sectional View of an automatic valve.

In Fig. 1 I have indicated diagrammatically a train of three cars, A A representing motor-cars, and B a trailer placed between the two motor-cars.- O O represent motordriven compressors on the motor-cars supplyinlg the'main reservoirs D D. Each reservoir is connected to a motormans valve E of the usual construction; and also to an airpump governor indicated diagrammatically at F. The overnor F isconnected through a cut-out switch to the current-collecting device H. When the cut-out switch is closed the governor contacts are closed, the neat-collecting device H is connected togatrain-wire G supplying the several compressor-motors he motor-circuit on the motor-car's is indicated by the conductor h; the, motors themselves not being shown.

The motormans valve E is connected in the usual manner to the train-pipe I, to which are connected on thefseveral car'sj the .triple valves-J controlling the connections for the brakecylinders K and auxiliary reservoirs L. M represents the reservoir-pipe for equalizi'ng the pressures in the several main reservoirs. To this pipe are connected the pneu matically-operated actuating means N for the current-collecting devices H. By raising the-pressure in the reservoir-pipe M the current-collecting devices are raised lnto en-, gagement with the working conductor. The

connection from each main-reservoir to the reservoir-pipe M passes through 'an auto matic valve 0 provided with a .manually- 1 controlled by-pass P, and through a manually-operated valve Q, which is arranged to connect the'1*eservoirpipe "M to the auto-' matic valve 0, or to disconnect it from the automatic valve and connect it to atmosphere to lower'its pressure.-

The construction of the automatic valve O is shown in Fig. 2. This valve has a port a leading to the main reservoir, and a port 1) leading through the valve Q to the reservoir pipe M. The port 1) opens into a chamber closed at one end by a diaphragm 0, against which presses the spring-actuated piston cl. When the pressure in the reservoir-pipe is below a certain amount, the diaphragm c presses against the spindle of a'valve e, which, when closed, disconnects port I) from port a, and consequently disconnects the reservoir-pipe from main reservoir. When the pressure in the reservoir-pipe is raised above a certain amount, this pressure, entering at the port I), presses back the diaphragm c and piston d, allowing the valve 6 to be un-" seated by the light spring which tends to connected to any suitable source of current,

thereby starting the'compressors O into operation, raising the pressures in the res-' 'ervoirs, and in the reservoir-pipe until the 'current collecting devices 11' are brought into engagement withthe-working conduc= tor. All the bysssesP are closed, with the exception of t e by pass on the front car of the train; all the valves Q beingin'posi- 'tion to connect the automatic valves with the reservoir-pipe. When 1n operation it is desired to lower the contact devices H away from the Working conductor, the valve Q on the front car is moved to disconnect the reservoir-pipe from the automatic valve 0 and to open it to atmosphere. The reduction of pressure in the reservoir-pipe causes the lowering ofthe contact devices H, and

{as soon as the pressure in the reservoir-pipe What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a train of motor-driven cars, in combination with an air-brake system having main reservoirs on a .lurality of cars, a reservoir-pipe for e'qual i the several reservoirs, contact devices-in the motor circuits, and pneumatically-operated actuating means therefor connected to said reservoir-pipe.

2. Ina train bination with an air-brake system having main reservoirs on a luralit of cars, a reszing the pressures n therefor responsive to var ations-of'pressure of motor-driven cars, in com- 3. In atrain of motor-driven cars, in combination with an air-brake system having mam reservoirs on a Iplurality of cars, a reservolr-pipe for equaizing the ressures 1n the several reservoirs, amanua ly-operated valve controlling the pressure in said reserr voir-pipe, automatic valves adapted to disconnect the reservoirs from the reservoirpipe u on a predetermined-fall of pressure in 'sai, pipe, contact devices n the motor circuits, and actuating means therefor re. .sponsiveg to variations of 'pressurem said reservon 'plpee 4. In a train of motor-driven cars, in comblnation w th an ant-brake system having. mam reservoirs on the several cars, a reservoir-pipe for egualizing the pressures in the; I

several-reservoirs, a manually-operated valve controlling the pressure insaid reservoir-' pipe, automatic. valves adapted to d-iscon nect t'lie reservoirs from the reservoinpipe upon a predetermined fall of pressure in said pipe, manually-controlled byasses for.

said automatic valves, contact evices in the motor circuits, and actuating means 1n said reservo1rpipe.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 6th day of April, 1907-.-

PHILIP? PFORR. Witnesses:

MAX HAMBURGER, JULIUS 'Ri'JMLAnn. 

